Alksnis, Yakov Ivanovich
From OnAirpower.org
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Alksnis joined the Social Democratic Party of Latvia (a territorial organization of the Bolshevik Party) in 1916, and the Red Army in 1919. He was an active participant in the Russian Civil War, primarily in staff positions. In 1921 he entered the RKKA Military Academy, and graduated in 1924. For the next two years, he held positions in the RKKA Staff[1].
In 1926, Alksnis was appointed the Deputy Chief of the Directorate of the Air Forces of the RKKA. He didn't have any previous experience in aviation, but began to study aviation technology and learned to fly, earning a rating of Military Pilot in November, 1929. In June 1931 Alksnis was appointed Chief of the RKKA Air Forces Directorate. In January, 1937 he became the Deputy People's Commissar of Defense for Aviation[1].
Alksnis was accused of being the leader of a "Latvian fascist organization" and arrested on November 23, 1937, and executed on July 28, 1938[2].
[edit] Timeline
- January 26, 1897 Future Soviet Air Force commander Yakov Ivanovich Alksnis is born[1].
[edit] Sources
- Army Commander 2nd Rank Ya. I. Alksnis by Skorivok, G. P., Voenno-Istoricheskij Zhurnal, 1987 No. 1 (January 1987)
